The present invention relates to the field of electrical components and more particularly to those electrical components which constitute common residential electrical circuits.
Conventional residential electrical circuits consist of components such as electrical receptacles, various types of light switches, electrical boxes, and electrical cables. These conventional components require time-consuming, cumbersome wiring practices. The electrical devices such as receptacles and switches must be wired prior to inserting them into their respective electrical box. This requires that the wires be of extra length to facilitate this wiring practice. This excess wire must then be stuffed into the electrical box as the electrical device is installed. These conventional electrical circuits often require the use of wire nuts to connect several wires together in the electrical boxes. These wires must also be of extra length to facilitate wiring and then stuffed into the electrical box as well.
These inherent characteristics of the conventional electrical circuits result in timely electrical installations with electrical boxes that are often over-stuffed with excess wire. The process of stuffing the wires and the electrical device into the electrical box results in the wires exerting a pulling force on their points of termination, creating the possibility of wires coming loose from the electrical device or the wire nuts. This contributes to faulty circuits and potential fire hazards.
Because of these cumbersome characteristics of the conventional electrical circuits, good wiring practices such as connecting a dedicated earth ground to each electrical component is often neglected. This also contributes to a potential fire hazard as well as a risk of electrical shock to people who use these circuits.
It is thus a principal object of this invention to provide an electrical system which utilizes modular electrical components in which the wire conductors of the electrical cables are terminated in the electrical boxes prior to the electrical devices such as receptacles, switches, and light fixtures being installed; thereby eliminating the need for the extra length wires and the cumbersome wiring practices associated with conventional residential electrical circuits.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical system which utilizes modular components which assemble quickly and easily in a specific manner so as to self-configure the common residential lighting and general utility circuits by simply selecting the proper components.
It is a further object of this invention is to provide an electrical system which self-distributes a dedicated earth ground to each electrical component with little or no effort on the part of the installer, thereby eliminating negligence in this wiring practice and reducing potential fire hazards and risk of electrical shock to users of these circuits.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an electrical system which utilizes modular electrical components in which the replaceable components such as the receptacles and switches simply plug into the prewired electrical box, thereby permitting easy removal and replacement.
Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical system which does not utilize wire nuts. A still further object is to provide an electrical system which is conducive to electrical circuit expansions and modifications after the initial installation is complete.
These and other objects will become apparent hereinafter.